NEW YORK — Pablo Prigioni, who did not play in Game 1, returned Tuesday night from a sprained right ankle and will start for the Knicks against the Celtics in Game 2.

What does the return of Prigioni to the Knicks starting lineup mean Doc Rivers?

“Well, it just gives them another decision-maker. He’s brilliant,” Rivers said. “He’s another Jason Kidd-ish-type guy. It just gives them another smart player on the floor and another guy that can create plays. That makes them really good. It’s no coincidence that when he’s in the lineup they play better because they have a lot of IQ on the floor at the same time.”

“He gives us a guy who can help run our team, and gives us a defensive presence out front guarding the ball,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said, adding there won’t be a minutes restriction. “Not at all. He’s practiced the past few days and moved around real well. I think he’s going to be fine.”

“We’re going to attack whoever guards Paul,” Rivers said. “I’m sure [Mike Woodson] is thinking the same thing, it doesn’t matter who’s guarding Paul because Paul’s going to get the ball in the post. They’re going to come trap. I hope there’s an advantage there but I don’t know if there is.”

With Prigioni returning to action, that sent Chris Copeland to the bench.

Rivers said the 72 hours is a long time to wait between playoff games but there’s no better city to spend it in if you’re on the road then in New York.

“You never know but I think pretty well,” Rivers said when asked how he thought his team handled it. “Obviously, especially on the road, you’d rather get right back at it. You just feel like you’re sitting around the room and things like that, but obviously being in New York helps in some ways. It’s not a bad city to hang out in, go have dinner so I think we’ll be ready.”

Rivers is hopeful his team can channel the 2008 team in terms of toughness and the 2010 team that found a way on the road.

“I was going into the ’08 playoffs because we literally had the easiest year you could possibly have,” Rivers said. “We won every game it felt like and didn’t get tested a lot. I was concerned going into the playoffs with a team, even though they were really good, that didn’t get tested. I thought Game 6 in Atlanta we came apart a little bit.”